Flexible arch support



' Sept? 30, 194.7. yVD. RoLEs FLEXIBLE ARC?y SUPPORT Filed Oct. 9, 1945 Patented Sept. 30, 1947 UNITED sTATEs-` PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE ARCH SUPPORT Duane Roles, Toledo, Oreg.

Application October 9, 1945, Serial No. 621,231

My invention relates to shoes and has for its;

object to provide a combined iiexible sole and arch supporter.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anti-shock foot supporting insole.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arch support formed of a pair of slidably ccnnected plates.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shoe insole formed of a series of hinged con- Figure 2 is a similar view broken away and thek parts shown in operative position, and

'Figure 3 is a detail plan view of an insole arch supporter minus its casing.

In the above drawings as well as in the specilication to follow, the same characters of referencel indicate the same parts throughout.

While one embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the above referred to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in con-1,

struction may be resorted to in the course oi manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any way departing from the spirit and intention of my device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while I have stated the primary eld of utility of my invention it remains vobvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable. Y

My arch supporting shoe consists of the shoe in which the inner surface I2, of the permanent sole I3, between the tread I4, and the heel I5, is provided with a recess I 6, within which is seated a metal plate (or wood or plastic may be used) the upper surface I8, of which is on a common plane I9, of the sole I3.

Seated within the shoe is an insole 20, formed of sections 2|, 22 and 23, which together conform to the sizeand shape of the sole I3. The section 22, of the device is formed of a pair of resilient normally arcuate plates 24 and 25, convexed outwardly and having their free ends 26 and 2l, slid ably seated upon one another. The outer ends 28 and 29, of these plates are curved upwardly 15 Claims. (Cl. 36-71) to form levers 3|) and 3|, the terminal edges of which are hingedly connected as at 32 and 33, to the respective sections 2| and 23. Secured over the entire insole 20, is a taut rubber cover 3A, having two primary functions, first to draw down upon the ends 26 and 2'|, when pressure is -relieved from said lever ends 3|) and 3|, and second to protect the foot of the user from the sliding action of the members 26 and 2l. This cover has still another function-that of forming a retainer for the sponge rubber fillers 35 and 36, seated in the respective recesses 3l and 38, formed by the contour of the said plates 24 and 25. A similar cushioning ller 39, is provided in the space 4Q, under said plates.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the arch of the wearers foot is firmly but flexibly supported in walking or standing, the arch supporter section 22, acting with every movement of the foot. When members or sections 2| and 23, are pressed down by the weight of the wearer in either walking or standing, the action ofthe said weight upon members 2| and 23, causes the ends 4| and 4'2, to pull down upon lever ends 30- and 3|, of the plates 24 and 25 to be pressed down attheir curved upturned ends 26 and 21, forcing the outer ends of plates 24 and 25, up, causing them t0 press up the arch of the wearer and upon reverse movement the arch will come down gently upon the section 2 I, Which will give freely and avoid shock to cuboid, schaphoid and internal cuneiform bones of the foot and which would not be the case in using a rigid arch supporter. The means of relieving the instep from pressure of the section 2|, when the foot is at rest is a very important function of this invention, which relief is not to be h'ad through the use of any arch supporter I have been able to learn of.

I wish to stress the fact that my device is designed and constructed not only as an arch supporter but primarily to reduce foot shock in walking and to cause the foot muscles to react to the constantly repeated stimulation induced by the co-action of the entire insole of my device.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of th'e invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

`Changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to, in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described my invention that which I claim as new and desire to procure by Letters Patent is:

l. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, all hingedly connected, said support consisting of a pair of overlapping plates, each' having a lever end adjacent said hinges, said arch plates being arcuate and resilient, means for depressing said last plates, consisting of a, rubber cover for the insole, resilient cushion llers between the Vcover and the arch plates and a similar cushion below Said larch plates.

2. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, all hingedly connected, Y

said support consisting of a pair of overlapping plates, each having a lever end adjacent said hinges, said arch plates being arcuate and resilient, means for depressing said last plates, consisting of a rubber cover for the insole, and resilient cushion iillers between the cover `and the arch plates.

3. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch `support, and a heel plate, all hingedly connected, said support consisting of a pair of overlapping plates, each having a lever end adjacent said hinges, said arch plates being arcuate and resilient, and means for depressing said last plates, consisting of a rubber cover for the insole.

4. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, all hingedly connected, said support consisting of a pair of overlapping plates, each having a lever end adjacent said hinges, said arch plates being arcuate and resilient, and means for depressing said last plates.

5. An vinsole comprising fa toe plate, an arch' support and a heel plate, all hingedly connected, said support consisting of a pair of overlapping plates, each having a lever -end adacent said hinges, and said arch plates being arcuate and resilient.

6. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support anda heel plate, all hingedly connected, said support consisting of a pair of plates overlapping at their inner ends, .each having a lever end adjacent said hinges, and said arch plates being arcuate.

'1. An insole comprising a, toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, all hingedly connected, said support consisting of a pair of overlapping plates, said overlapping being substantially at the center of the arch, and each having a lever -end adjacent said hinges.

-8. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, all hingedly connected, said support consisting of a pair of overlapping plates, and `each having an upturned lever end inwardly of said hinges.

9. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, all hingedly connected, and said support consisting of a pair of upwardly arched overlapping plates one hinged at its front end to the rear of the toe plate and the other hinged at its rear end to the front lof `the heel plate.

i0. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heelv plate, and all hingedly connected, and said support consisting of a pair of 4 turned outer end adjacent said hinges and each of said arch plates being arcuate upwardly.

12. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, said ,support consisting of a pair of upwardly arched plates overlapping at their inner ends transversely of the arch supf port, one plate being hinged at its front end to raised concavo-convex overlapping plates having their outer ends curved upwardly adapted to be pressed down in the center and up at Vtheir free ends 'when in use, to press up against the arch of .the wearer to support the arch of the foot and to move down when pressure is removed and the arch support raised in the center.

l1. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, the arch support being hingedly connected at its outer ends to the inner ends of the toe and heel plates, said support consisting of a pair of plates slidably overlapping at their inner ends, each having an upthe rear of the toe plate and the other hinged at its rear end to the front of the heel plate, a flexi- -ble elastic cover over the toe plate, arch support and heel plate to press down on the hinged ends when lpressure is relieved from the arch and to move upwardly upon downward pressure on the arch under the weightcf the wearer with the foot pressing thereon.

13. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, said support consisting of a pair of upwardly arched plates overlapping at their inner ends transversely of the arch support, one plate 'being hinged at its front end to the rear of 'the toe plate and the other hinged at its rear end to the front of the heel plate, a flexible elastic cover over the toe plate, arch support and heel plate the entire inner length of the insole, to press down on the hinged ends when pressure is relieved and soft cushion fillers between the front and rear of the overlapping plates and the cover and under the overlapping plates of the arch support.

14. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, said support consisting of a pair of upwardly arched plates overlapping at `their inner ends transversely of the arch support, one plate being hinged at its front end to the rear of the toe plate and the other hinged at its rear end to the front of the heel plate, a flexible elastic cover over the toe plate, arch support and heel plate the entire inner length of the insole, to press down on the hinged ends when pressure is relieved from the arch, and sponge rubber llers Vbetween the front and rear of the overlapping plates and the cover, a flat plate under the arch support adapted to be seated in a recess in a sole at the arch portion thereof between the tread and heel portions thereof.

15. An insole comprising a toe plate, an arch support and a heel plate, said support consisting of a pair of raised convex overlapping plates having their outer ends curved upwardly convex at the bottom and concave at the top, pressed down in the center and up at the free ends thereof when in use to support the arch of the foot of the wearer, a Vflexible elastic cover over the toe plate, arch support and heel plate, a at plate under the arch support and on which the upturned ends thereof bear and fulcrum, and soft cushion llers between the cover and the upturned ends of the arch support plates and between the arch support and the fiat plate.

DUANE ROLES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: 

